Fire extinguishing apparatus



June 316, 1936. 2,044,438

D. MAPES FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filed July 14, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGURE 1.

INVENTOR DAN/EL MAPE6 BY ATTORNEY June 16, 1936. MAPES 2,044,438

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS- Filed July 14, 1954 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill INVENTOR DAN/EL MAPBS BY ATTORNEY Patented June 16,. 1936 FEE nx'rmonrsma APPARATUS Daniel Mapealidontclair, N. 3., asaignor to Walter Kldde & (Jompany, End, Bloomfield, N. 1., a corporation of New York Application duly 1d,

The present invention relates to fire extinguishing apparatus of the type wherein the extinguishing medium is stored in suitable containers under the pressure of its own vapor. The fire extinguishing agent commonly used in these systems is carbonic acid gas which is maintained in liquid form in the containers under the extreme pressure of its vapor and a system of pipes is coordinatedwith the containers to enable the fluid to be discharged at desired locations where the protection is to be afiorded.

Where an installation requires the number oi containers to be multiplied greatly, the dimculty of providing a means for eiiecting discharge from the entire bank or gang of containers simultaneously and effectively is confronted. It has been ioundthat there is a practical limit to the number of containers which can be controlled by direct manual force and the present invention relates to systems wherein the number of containers renders the manual control thereof dimcult, if not impossible.

It has been proposed to employ the expansive force oi the extinguishing medium itself to efiect the release of the extinguishing medium from all of the containers as desired and in such systems, certain containers, known as master-control containers, are set aside to supply the medium to actuate the releasing mechanism of the main supply containers.

In such systems as above mentioned, the dim-' culty is sometimes encountered of having the pres sure medium leak from the control container or containers, so that the desired actuating force or pressure is not available when required. A much more efiective system would be, therefore, one in which the desired operating pressure is built up at the exact moment when required.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a fire extinguishing apparatus in which the fire extinguishing medium is stored in a plurality of containers, the releasing mechanisms of which are operated by a pressure developed at the time when it is desired to release the fire extinguishing medium; and in this con nection it should be noted that the use of a developed pressure which is independent of the pressure of the medium stored in the container is an important feature of the present invention, as it insures certainty of operation of the entire system, even though a container or containers be empty by reason of the leakage of the pressure medium therefrom. I

It is another object of the present invention to provide fire extinguishing apparatus of the type 1934, Serial No. 735,152

referred to with means for releasing the fire extinguishing medium under pressure during the incipient stage of a flre. More specifically, the

invention contemplates that'said means be arratus can be designed to be unaffected by normal 10 changes in the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere, but to become immediately operative upon abnormal changes in temperature such as accompany an incipient fire.

It is a further object of the present invention 15 to provide a system for releasing pressure fiuid from a plurality or containers thereof, either simultaneously or substantially simultaneously, utilizing a relatively small pressure developed by a heat actuator to actuate a pressure developing 20 unit and employing a pressure developed by the pressure developing unit upon operation of said heat actuator and independent of the pressure of the fluid stored in said container to release one or more of the remainder of the plurality of con"-= 2 tainers.

It is another object of the invention to provide a fluid release mechanism of the above character, wherein the elements of the, releasing device are so designed note be capable of manual re- 30 setting without diiflculty and further to be in- ;sensitive to jars or other disturbing stresses while being highly sensitive toe predetermined actuating force.

As a further object of the invention, it is pro- 35 posed to provide arr-automatic safety mechanism which will preventthe actuation of the main container if the pressure in any of the supply containers becomes excessive by reason of temperature rise while the discharge of the extinguishing medium is not needed.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds and reference'will now be had for a more detailed description of the invention to the accompanying drawings forming 45 a part hereof, wherein: i

Figure 1 is a view inside elevation of a fire ex-= tinguishing' system constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in transversesection showing 50 a fiuid releasing mechanism constructedin accordance withthe present invention.

Figure 3 is a view of the lever chamber of the releasing mechanism shown in Figure 2, the cover of the lever chamber being removed.

Figure 4 is a view in section taken on line 44 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the lever chamber not being shown.

In Figure 1 of the drawings is shown a plurality of pressure medium containers I, each having a fluid releasing mechanism 2, each of the fluid releasing mechanisms being connected by a branch conduit 3 to a common delivery conduit 4. Each of the fluid releasing mechanisms 2 is provided with a chamber 5 containing means operable by the flow of a fluid for releasing the respective fluid releasing mechanisms, the cham-" ber 5 being connected by branch tube 8 to pressure transmitting tubing 1, which latter is connected to one end of a pressure developing chamber 4. Within the pressure developing chamber I is arranged a piston member 8 having a piston rod I extending exteriorly of the chamber 4 through an opening provided in the cover member ll of the chamber. On the upper end of the piston rod III is arranged a relatively heavy weight l2 designed to cause downward movement of the piston 9 and to develop in the chamber 8 a pressure suflicient to actuate the releasing means in the chambers of the fluid releasing mechanisms 2. The weight I2 is normally held from descending by a cable l3 provided with a knob l4 supported on a releasable lever I! of an air operated release'mechanlism l6, which latter may be in accordance with United States Letters Patent No. 1,269,556. The air operated release mechanism IS in turn is connected by pressure transmitting tubing H to a heat actuator member is, which may be of any suitable construction for use with the release mechanism l4.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, a supply of a medium under pressure is maintained in a container i by means of a closure body J9 and a bonnet 20. An adapter 2| serves to maintain the bonnet upon the closure body, the latter being threaded into the top of the container I and being provided with a frangible disc 22 secured in position by a nut 23. A cutter 24 is movable within thenut 23 and the adapter 2| is provided with threads 25 which engage cooperating threads formed on the closure body l9, threads 26 also being provided at the upper extremity of the adapter for engaging co-operating threads formed upon the bonnet 20.

Axially movable within the bonnet is a cutter stem 21 which is formed with a flange 28 having a close-working fit on its circumferential surface with the bore of the bonnet. An outlet 29 is provided in the bonnet for receiving a fltting 30 which is adapted to be connected to a branch conduit 3. The flange 28 on the cutter stem is preferably disposed so as to be nearer the container I than the outlet .29, as described in further detail hereinafter.

Before the cutter stem is assembled in the bonnet 20, a cup leather 3| is passed over' the upper portion of the stem and seated by a spring 32 which provides the actuating force for moving the cutter and cutter stem toward the container; The spring 32 is seated against a nut 33 which is a combined sealing and re-setting nut, a stop 34 being provided on the upper end of the stem to limit the movement of the stem toward the container.

Wing indicators 35 are hinged to the nut at 38 and the above described mechanism constitutes the indicating mechanism to apprise an inspecter as to the condition of the apparatus.

The above described cutter stem assembly is inserted in the bonnet 20 and the combined sealing and re-setting nut 33 is run into position by means of threads 31 on the bonnet and nut.

Before the adapter 2i is coupled to the closure body l9, it is secured to the bonnet 20, a leather 5 washer 38 being passed over the end of the cutter stem and secured in position by means of a nut 29 having threads 40 which engage the co-operating threads on the adapter 2|. The cutter 24 is'then secured to the lower end of 10 the cutter stem 21 by means of a coupling nut 4| which is provided with threads 42 engaging co-operating threads on the cutter stem.

In the above described mechanism, the hollow cutter communicates with the hollow portion 43 15 of the cutter stem, which hollow portion communicates with the atmosphere by means of openings 44 formed in the upper end of the cutter stem. The cutter, adapter, and co-operating securing elements constitute no part of the present invention, although the cutter stem and wing indicating construction, as well as the means for providing communication. between the hollow cutter and the atmosphere, are highly useful in connection with apparatus of'the type herein provided.

The normal position of the cutter stem is as shown in Figure 2, the stem being shown in its upper position, the cutter 24 lying some distance above the frangible disc and the openings 44 com-- municating with the space under the wings. In this fashion, the pressure medium will be discharged into the atmosphere through the cutter 24, cutter stem, and openings 44 when the frangible disc is ruptured due to an excessive pressure of 35 the medium within the container i.

A flange 45 is formed on the cutter stem and serves as a catch, this'flange being engaged by a suitable trigger releasing mechanism described in detail hereinafter. Extending within the bonnet 40 is a spindle 46 which is formed with a groove 41 for engaging the flange 45 on the cutter stem. The spindle is pivoted in the bonnet at 48 and extends externally thereof within the lever chamber 5.

The foregoing description relates to the disc 45 rupturing mechanism and means for discharging the contents of a fluid container into a pipe line or, in the event that the discharge is accidental, into the atmosphere without possibility of any of the fluid entering the pipe line. The means for 50 releasing the foregoing mechanism will now be described and, in the connection, it will be observed that the spindle 48 extends within the lever chamber 5 and has secured to the end thereof a lever 49. A contact roller 50 is provided on the upper end of the lever 49 and is adapted to engage a co-operating contact surface on one arm 5| of-a bell crank lever having a depending arm 52. .A stud53 pivots the bell crank lever il- -52, and a contact roller 54 is formed on the lower extremity of the depending arm 52. This last named contact roller is adapted to be engaged by a co-operating surface on arm 55 of a bell crank lever having an upwardly extending arm 56 and pivoted upon a stud 51. The arm 55 is further provided with an ear 58 upon the lower portion of which at B2. The catch 60 of the tripping lever is normally urged into engagement with the surface 59 of the second bell cranklever bymeans of a. spring To effect the releasing movement of the trip ping lever 6|, a paddle 64 is formed thereon said paddle being arranged to cover a nozzle opening 65 connecting with a passage 66 formed in the wall of the lever chamber 5. A suitable fitting 61 connects the passage 56 with the branch tube 6, which inturn connects with the pressure transmitting tubing 1, as already described in connection with Figure 1. A thin disc 88 of felt or other soft material is secured to the end of the paddle 64 so as to normally overlie the nozzle opening 65. This disc 68 permits the covering of the nozzle opening .85 without interfering with the setting of the lever system, as the disc 68 yields under the force exerted by the spring 63. I

When, therefore, a fire occurs, the heat of the fire expands the air normally confined in the heat actuator member l8, the pressure developed therein being transmitted through the pressure transmitting tubing I! to the release device l6, which is thereby operated to release the weight l2. The weight l2, being released, causes descent of the piston 9 in the pressure developing chamber 8, building up a pressure in the chamber 8 which is transmitted through the pressure transmitting tubing 1 and the branch tube 6 to the nozzle openings 65 of the respective lever chambers 5, whereby the flow of the fluid directed against the paddles 64 causes the levers 6| to rotate to disengage the roller catches 60 from the lever systems in the respective lever chambers 5. Upon disengagement of a tripping lever 6| from the camming surface 59 of a second bell-crank lever, the

second bell-crank lever is free to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3. In this fashion, the roller contact 56 of the depending arm 52 is disengaged and the first bellcrank lever partakes of a clockwise movement,- as viewed in Figure 3. Arm 5| of the first bell-crank lever thus disengages the contact roller 50 and permits spindle 46 to turn under the force exerted by spring 32 to disengage groove 41 from the flange 45. Such disengagement permits the cutter 24 to be advanced into the disc 22 and effects the rupturing thereof, simultaneously moving the openings '45 to communicate with the region within the nut 33 and the bonnet 20 and thus causing the discharged medium to fiow into the branch conduit 3.

In order to release the apparatus manually, there is provided, as shown in Figure 1, an operating rod 69 having an operating handle 10. The operating rod 69 is connected to a lever ll mounted on the release device IS in such a position that, upon upward movement of the operating rod 69, the lever 1| rotates to mechanically force the knob l4 oi the restraining lever l5, thus permitting the weight I! to descend in the manner already described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my present invention embodies the important objects pointed out at the beginning, and while the invention resides in certain principles of construction and operation which have been illustrated and described in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that they can, of course, be embodied in other forms of construction without departure therefrom, and I do not wish to be strictly limited for this reason to the disclosure, but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: p

1. In a releasing device for releasing a medium from a container in which the medium is stored under pressure, the combination of a body member to be secured to the container, a frangible disc carried by the body member and confining the medium within the container, a cutter stem movable in the body member, a cutter on the stem to rupture the disc, a spring normally urging the cutter toward the disc, a spindle rotatablyfmounted in the body member, a catch on the cutter stem engaging the spindle, releasable means normally preventing movement of the spindle, said releasable means comprising a series of interengaging levers mounted on the body member and adapted to move into disengagement when the levers are released, the outermost lever of said series being secured to the spindle, a tripping lever for holding the innermost lever of the series against the transmitted force of the spring normally urging the cutter toward the disc, and means to direct a flowing fluid against said tripping lever, so as to trip it to permit release of the series of levers.

, 2; In a releasing device for releasing a medium from a container in which the medium is stored under pressure, the combination of a body member to be secured to the container, 9, frangible disc carried by the body member and con fining the medium within the container, a cutter stem movable in the body member, a cutter on the stem to rupture the disc, a spring normally urging the cutter toward the disc, a spindle rotatably mount-,

ed in the body member, a catch on the cutter stem engaging the spindle, releasable means normally preventing movement of the spindle, said releasable means comprising a seriesof interengaging levers mounted on thebody member and adapted to move into disengagement when the levers are released, the outermost lever of said series being secured to the spindle, a tripping lever for holding the innermost lever of the series against the transmitted force of the spring normally urging the cutter toward the disc, means terminating in a discharge outlet to direct a flowing fluid adjacent said tripping lever, and a paddle-like element formed on said tripping lever and positioned adjacent said discharge outlet and in the path of ficw of fluid therefrom, whereby the flowing fluid will act on the paddle-like element to trip the tripping lever.

3. In a releasing device for releasing a medium from a container in which the medium is stored under pressure, the combination of a body member to be secured to the container, a frangible disc carried by the body member and confining the medium within the container, a cutter'stem movable in the body member, a cutter on the stem to rupture the disc, a spring normally urg ing the cutter toward the disc, a spindle rotatably mounted in the body member, a catch on the cutter stem engaging the spindle, releasable means normally preventing movement of the spindle, said releasable means comprising a series paddle-like element and overlying said discharge outlet and normally sealing the latter, whereby the flowing fluid will act on the paddle-like element to trip the tripping lever.

4. In a release device for fluids under pressure having a frangible disc to confine a medium under pressure, a body member provided with an outlet, a cutter movable in the body'to rupture the disc, a spring to urge the cutter normally toward the disc, a rotatable spindle in the body releasably engaged by the cutter to normally prevent movement of the cutter, an arm on the'spindle having a pressure surface, pivotally mounted restraining means movable into and out of engagement with the pressure surface of the spindle arm to prevent movement thereof, and means to release the restraining means comprising means to direct a flowing fluid against an element of the restraining means to release the restraining means. 5. A system for releasing a medium from a plurality of containers in which the medium is stored under pressure through the medium of the relatively small expansive force of a confinedbody of fluid, comprising restraining means operable by the expansive force of a confined body of fluid, medium releasing means foreach container, each comprising a frangible disc to confine the medium within the container, disc rupturing means for rupturing the frangible disc to release the medium, and means operable by the flow of a fluid to effect operation of the disc rupturing means; and means operable upon release of the restraining means togenerate a pressure greater than that developed by the confined body of fluid to obtain the desired force. to create the fluid'flow, for operating the disc rupturing means of a plurality of containers.

6. A system for releasing a medium from a plurality of containers in which the medium is stored under pressure through the medium of the relatively small expansive force of a confined body of fluid, comprising restraining means operable by the expansive force of a confined body of fluid, medium releasing means for each container, each comprising a frangible disc to confine the medium within the container, disc rupturing means for rupturing the frangible disc to release the medium, and means operable by the force of a fluid to eflect operation of the disc rupturing means; and means operable upon release of the restraining means to generate a pressure greater than that developed by the confined body of fluid to obtain the desired force to operate the disc rupturingmeans of a plurality of containers.

7. A system for releasing a medium from a plurality of containers in which the medium is stored under pressure through the medium. of a relatively small operating force, comprising restraining means operable by a relatively small operating force, medium releasing means for each container, each comprising a frangible disc to confine the medium within the container, disc rupturing means for rupturing the frangible disc to release the medium, and means operable by the force of a fluid to effect operation of the disc rupturing means; and means operable upon release of the restraining means to generate a force greater than the relatively small operating force to obtain the desired force to operate the disc rupturing means.

8. In a system for releasing a medium from a plurality of containers in which the medium is l stored under pressure and in which each container is provided with a medium releasing demember, a catch on the cutter stem engaging the 15 spindle, releasable means normally preventing movement of the spindle, said releasable means comprising a series of interengaging levers mounted on the body member and adapted to move into disengagement when the levers are released,.the outermost lever of said series being secured to the spindle, a tripping lever for hold- I ing the innermost lever of the series against the transmitted force of the spring normally urging the cutter toward the disc, and means operable upon a change in a normal fluid pressure to release said tripping lever, a chamber apart from said medium releasing devices and alterable in volume by movement of a wall thereof to compress the fluid within the chamber, means to effect movement of the wall of the chamber, and means defining ii. fluid conducting path from said chamber to each of said means operable upon a change in a normal fiuid pressure. 9. Ina system for releasing a medium from a plurality of containers in which the medium is, stored under pressure and in which each container is provided with a medium releasing device comprising a body member to be secured to the container, a frangible disc carried by the body 40 member and confining the medium within the disc, a cutter stem movable in the body member, a cutter on the stem to rupture the disc, a spring normally urging the cutter toward the disc, a

spindle rotatably-mounted in the body member,

a catch on the cutter stem engaging .the spindle, releasable means normally preventing. movement of the spindle, said releasable means comprising a series of interengaging levers mounted on the body member and adapted to move into disengagement when the levers are released, the outer.- most lever of said series being. secured to the spindle, a tripping lever for holding the. innermost lever of the series against the transmitted force of the spring normally urging the cutter toward the disc, and means to direct a. flowing fluid against said tripping lever, so as to trip it to permit release of the series of levers, a chamber apart from said medium releasing devices and alterable in volume by movement of a wall there-' of to compress the fluid within the chamber, means to eflect movement of a wall of the chamber, and means defining a fluid conducting path from said chamber to each of said means for directing a flowing fluid against a tripping lever.

DANIEL MAPE8. 

